Safety-hatch for elevators



(N0 Modl.)

E. L. COLE.

SAFETY HATCH FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 372,744. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

NITE Smarts EVERETT L. COLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY-HATC H FO R ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Ratent No. 372,744, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filed February 18, 1887. Serial No. 228,046. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, EVERETT L. COLE, of Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Hatches for Elevators, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in Which Figure 1 is a side view of an elevator and part of an elevator-shaft to which my improved safety-hatch is applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of said hatch, the elevator-frame to which it is attached being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a side view in detail of one of the double cam-pulleys for balancing and operating the hatch-floors. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 5 is a side view in detail of a portion of the frame and movable floor, showinga modification ofsaid balancing mechanism.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the different figures.

The object of my invention is to provide a. safetyhatch for elevators which shall be cheap in its construction, simple, effective, and reliable in its operation, which may be automatically opened and closed by the car in its passage up or down, and which, exceptat the time of such passage, may serve as a reliable guard or floor to prevent persons from accidentally falling 'into the elevator-shaft, all of which I accomplish substantially in the manner hereinafter more particularly described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

A in the drawings represents the usual corner-posts or frame of an elevator-shaft, while A A are the usual middle guide-posts, situated upon opposite sides of the elevator,

Upon a level, or substantially so,with each of the respective floors I-provide preferably two horizontal doors or hatches, B B, one end of one of which is hinged upon one side and one end of the other upon the opposite side of the elevator-well. Said hinging may be accomplished in any well-known way; but I prefer to attach a shaft, 13*, in suitable bearings upon the posts A A, respectively, to which the respective hatches B B may be so attached as to be capable of swinging up or down sufficiently to permit the passage by them of the elevator-frame.

Short arms or eyebolts B B are rigidly attached to the shafts B B or to the hatches themselves, and are connected by means of ropes or cords EB. The cords B are trained over pulleys O 0, attached, respectively, to shafts O 0, having hearings in brackets 0 bolted to the posts A A of the frame. Cords D D are attached, by means of staples D D, or otherwise, to the hatches 13' B at or near their hinged ends, and are trained over pulleys D D upon shafts whose bearings D D are likewise attached to said frame-posts. Said cords are likewise provided with weights E E. The province of said weights and cords is to balance said hatches and to normally retain them in a horizontal position, while they are likewise permitted to swing up and down according as they are actuated by the movement of the elevator. Beneath the free end of each of said hatches and attached to the floors F, I place bolts G G, Fig. 1, so adjusted that when withdrawn the end of the hatch is free to swing past without engagement therewith; otherwise it serves as a support for said hatch. The springs G G serve'to normally retain said bolts beneath 'the ends of the hatches when the latter arein a horizontal position. Hinged to the posts A at H, Fig. 1, above each floor, are loose blocks J, having cam shaped faces, which project within the shaft so as to engage with the frame of the car K. The free end of said blocks is attached to the bolts G, and as the former are engaged by the car in its downward passage they are pushed back, and thus retract the bolts and permit the hatches to swing downwardly.

Upon the top and bottom, respectively, of the car-frame I provide bows L L,which strike the hatches as soon as the bolts G are thrown back and depress them. I also place frictionrollers M M M M,Fig. 1,upon the top and bottom, respectively, at the corners of the car, to bear against said hatches, and thus prevent undue friction, noise, and wear.

In the upper part of Fig. 1 the hatches are shown in their normal position, while in the lower part they are indicated as they appear I00 when the ear is passing them in its descent. Notches b b, Fig. 2, are formed in the hatches to permit the passage of the elevator cable K. Inasmuch as said hatches are hinged upon opposite sides of the shaft-,it is obvious that they must swing in opposite directions from each other. This I regard as preferable to swing ing the two in one direction or hinging both upon one side of the shaft or forming the hatch in one piece, either of which might manifestly be done without varying from the essential principle of my invention, an im portant feature of which is to cause the hatch to move in the same direction with that of the car. The main advantage of hinging upon opposite sides of the elevatorshaft is that the car may not be swayed laterally upon contact with the hatches, the resistance of one serving to balance that of the other.

The pulleys 0 maybe round,if desired; but Iprefcr to makethem in the form of a double cam,consisting of the parts 0 c,as more clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4-, the rope being trained partially around one and across to the other. \Vhen properly adjusted upon the shaft, this form of pulley produces a differential action during a portion of the movement and serves to decrease the strain upon the arms 13" when the hatches are thrown up or down, while the full effect of the weight is exerted when the hatch is in a horizontal position, at which time it is most needed. The weight B serves to initiate both the upward and downward movement of the hatch in returning it to a horizontal position, while the weight E serves as an auxiliary in the former.

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which but one weight is employed. In this case, in addition to the pulley D? above the hateh,I place another one, D", below, while a cord, D is attached to the bottom of the hatch in the same manner as the cord D is attached above, the cord D being trained below the pulleyDand over the pulley D where it is joined to the cord D. An idler, d,serves to retain the cords l D D in line, and to insure uniformity of action therein. Thus it is apparent that in whichever direction the hatch is moved the weight is raised thereby, and serves when the hatch is released to return it to its normal position.

One great advantage in my improvement is that the end of the hatch is always moved away from the car and is never presented toward it. This serves not only to insure a positive action, but to prevent accident as well, which would be very likely to occur were the movement reversed.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combinatiomwith a car and its shaft, of a hatch consisting of two sections hinged to opposite sides of the shaft and adjusted to swing up and down in directions opposite to each other, locks or catches for normally engaging the free ends of said sections, means for balancing said sections and bringing them to a horizontal position, and means for withdrawing said catches upon the descent of the car,whereby as the latter passes it opens said hatches in a direction to correspond to that of its movement, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination,with a car and its shaft, of hatches hinged to opposite sides of the shaft, weights and pulleys for normally balancing said hatches in a horizontal position, bolts G, and cam-faced blocks J, for retracting said bolts upon the descent of the car, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with an elevator-hatch and weights and cords for balancing and bringing it to a horizontal position, of the blocks J J, bolts G, and a specified.

EVERETT L. COLE. \Vitncsses:

D. H. FLETCHER, M. M. GRIDLny.

suitable car, substantially as 

